Projectile anchors and anchoring emplacing devices



Jan. 30, 1962 R, T. SORRELL 3,018,752

PROJECTILE ANCHORS AND ANCHORING EMPLACING DEVICES Filed June 24, 1959 3Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 4

INVENTOR RY Z SURREM.

ATTORNEY Jan. 30, 1962 R.. T. SORRELL PROJECTILE ANCHORS AND ANCHORINGEMPLACING DEVICES Filed June 24, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Y rSOEiL ATTORNEY Jan. 30, 1962 R. T. SORRELL 3,018,752

PROJECTILE ANCHORS AND ANCHORING EMPLACING DEVICES Filed June 24, 1959 5Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR RAY r. SORRELL ATTORNEY it ,752 Patented Jan.30, 1962 3,018,752 PROJECTILE AN CHORS AND ANCHOG EMPLACING DEVICES RayT. Sorrel], Baltimore, Md., assignor, by mesne assignments, to theUnited States of America as represented by the Secretary of the NavyFiled June 24, 1959, Ser. No. 822,704 6 Claims. (Cl. 114206) The presentinvention relates to a projectile anchor and more particularly toanchors having rocket-fired engines for use in seaplanes.

In devices of this class heretofore devised, the preponderant weight ofconventional anchors and anchor handling equipment cannot be toleratedby seaplanes nor can room be spared in the seaplane for the bulky sizeof conventional anchors. Moreover, such devices were not provided withfeasible means for embedding an anchor deeply in soil and were thereforenot entirely reliable.

The present invention is an anchor designed particularly for use with aseaplane and its related support equipment, i.e., beaching vehicles,rafts, docks, fuel caches, etc. The anchor is in the form of aprojectile, with extendable vanes, and is fired from a seaplane or ananchor emplacing boat with a sufficiently high velocity to embed it deepenough in soil to obtain a desired holding power. By the use of a tubewithin the water, the propelled anchor is guided into any desiredposition for embedding it within the soil. The instant anchor and itsguiding tube replace conventional anchoring equipment for seaplanes andmay also be used to anchor any vehicle that travels on, under, orthrough the water, or any object placed in the water with expectationsof having said object remain fixed in one position,

An object of the present invention is the provision of an anchoroperative from a waterbase.

A further object of the invention is to provide an anchor withextendable vanes which may be extended after the anchor is embedded.

Another object is to provide an anchor of comparatively light weight forfeasible transport in seaplanes.

A final object is the provision of an anchor in the form of a projectilewhich may be fired from a seaplane with sufficient velocity to embed theanchor in soil with a desired holding power.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a front view of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a section of the device taken on the line 2-2 of FIG.1 looking in the direction of the arrows with the vanes shown in phantomlines in extended position.

FIG. 3 shows a modification of the device.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the modified device taken on the line 44of FIG. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows with the vanes shown inphantom lines in extended position.

FIG. 5 illustrates a sectional view, enlarged, of a modification to thedevice of FIG. 3 and taken along the line 55 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the modified device along the line 66 ofFIG. 5.

FIGS. 7, 8, and 9 show various methods of emplacing a propelled anchorwithin the ocean floor and FIG. 10 shows a method of placing aself-propelled anchor within the ocean floor.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference charactersdesignate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,there is shown in FIG. 1 an anchor 10 designed to hold fast a seaplaneor any vehicle that travels on, under or through a water media or anyobject placed in the water with expectations of having said objectremain fixed in one limited area. The anchor 10 may be eitherself-propelled or propelled. The former type is characterized by theaddition of rocket engines to the aft portion of the device so that theanchor may be emplaced in the soil with no external explosive charge.The propelled anchor, however, depends on an explosive charge for itspropelling force. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the anchor 10 is providedwith a rocket engine 11 and preferably four vanes 12 which are normallyfolded flush with the anchor body during emplacement. A cable storagechamber 13 is provided in the after section of the anchor so as topermit rapid uncoiling of the cable 14 from the device. Each of thevanes 12 is comprised of a main portion 15 and an arm 16 with said armbeing pivotally connected to a shaft 17. The anchor 10 is propelled orself-propelled into the ocean floor 20 by means to be describedhereinafter. After the device has embedded itself, a time delay-contactdetonating fuse 21, which is armed upon launching of the anchor, ignitesexplosive in a flash channel 22 placed within the midportion of theanchor and detonates the powder in storage chamber 23. This explosivecharge partially opens the vanes 12 and a vertical pull on the cable 14will then pull the vanes completely open into the position shown inphantom lines in FIG. 2, thus firmly setting the anchor in position.Although the anchor described above is primarily intended for permanentinstallation and designed to resist dynamic vertical forces, it canreadily be seen that it could be retrieved by exerting a vertical forcesufficient to break the vanes 12, if so desired.

FIGS. 3 and 4 disclose an anchor 26 modified so as to offer acomparatively high resistance to lateral forces in addition to resistinga vertical force with equal effectiveness. The anchor includes aplurality of vanes 27 each of said vanes being enclosed within a sleevemember 28. Sleeve member 28 being a rectangular member having aninternal recess 8 with a forward aperture 7 which permits the vanes 27to extend therethrough. Formed integrally with the sleeve members 28 areplate members 29 having apertures 30 therein extending to the base ofsaid sleeves. The enclosure formed by plates 29 functions as a powderchamber upon placing of an explosive therein. The vanes 27 arerectangular in cross section with an enlarged head 31 adjacent theplates 29 and extend for the length of the sleeve. A storage chamber 32for the cable 14 is provided in the after portion of the anchor similarto that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Further, a time delay contact fuse 21and flash chamber 22 are provided in the nose portion and midportion ofthe anchor respectively. The fuse 21 is armed as the anchor 26 leavesthe launching device and is detonated as the anchor penetrates the soil20. Due to the time delay feature in the fuse, the anchor will haveample time to reach the desired depth before the powder 33 betweenplates 29 is detonated. Upon ignition of powder 33, the gases which areformed exit via apertures 30 and act on the rearward face 6 of the vanes27, and the vanes 27 are thereby extended laterally into the water bedand the anchor thereby resists both lateral and vertical forces. Theanchor 26 is designed primarily for permanent installation; however,modifications may be made so that the anchor may then be retrievable bythe emplacing vessel.

Attention is directed to FIGS. 5 and 6 in which such a modification isachieved. The dotted lines in FIG. 6 show the position of the plate 29before the powder charge is ignited. A plurality of spring assemblies 35are provided with each vane and each assembly is fitted within a recessformed in the inner rim surface of the casing of anchor 26. Mountedcentrally within the recess is a pin 36 which is fixedly secured to theouter face of plate 29 having a slot 37 formed in an edge of one side ofsaid pin for reception of a key member 38. A coil spring 59 applies atorque to pin 36 and holds said pin in lock position. Forming a stop forthe spring 59 to prevent its expansion is a removable plate 60 mountedflush with the outer surface of the anchor 26. An aperture 39 is formedin the key 38 through which a cable 40 is passed. Surrounding the pin 36and held in compressed condition by key 38 is a spring 41. The pin 36,in its lock position, is held in position by the torque applied by coilspring 59. The spring 59 is the motivating force which insures that keymember 38 will engage slot 37 in the pin 36 after vane 27 is fullyextended. The pin 36 is shaped as an inclined plane in its forward part,and will therefore direct the key member 38 up and out of the waymomentarily, so as to allow slot 37 to be positioned under key member 38after sleeve member 28 and vane 27 is extended. Coil spring 59 thenrotates key member 38 into slot 37 when sleeve member 28 and vane 27 isfully extended. Each of the cables 40 connected to their respective keys38 is formed into a single cable positioned within a channel 42 leadingto the cable storage chamber 32 of FIG. 4. A pull on the control cable40 rotates keys 38 and allows the springs 41 to expand, thereby pushingthe plates 29, sleeves 28 and vanes 27 back into the anchor body tofacilitate easy recovery of the anchor.

It is to be noted that both of the anchors shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 may beeither propelled by an external source or self-propelled by the additionof rocket engines 11. By the use of a rocket engine, it is possible toemplace the anchor with no external explosive charge, as is necessary inthe propelled type of anchor.

For proper emplacement of a propelled anchor such as that describedheretofore, it is required that suitable emplacing equipment beutilized. The vessel'45 such as a seaplane, shown in FIGS. 7, 8, and 9,transports a collapsible, telescoping tube 46 adapted to be extendedvertically into the water 47 to the bed 48 of the water and is pivotallyheld in position by bracket means 49. A breechblock 50 is positionedover the launching tube 46 and, by means of a mounting fixture comprisedof pivotally connected arms 51, the anchor is placed within the tubeandv fired into the bed of the water. In addition to holding the anchorin position for firing, the tube 46 also acts as a guide for the anchorsemplacement position.

As shown in FIG. 8, the tube 46 may be formed of lesser length andextend just below the surface of the water, if so desired, so as topermit free entry of the anchor. Another method of emplacing the anchoris shown in FIG. 9 and includes the positioning of a short launchingtube 46 on the ocean floor with the anchor enclosed therein. By means ofpulley system 52 and its associated support 53 the tube 46 andbreechblock 50 are lowered into position. The latter method permits theanchor to be emplaced from a position near the bed of the water forgreater accuracy.

In order to emplace anchors of the self-propelled type, the method shownin FIG. is provided. The vessel 45 is equipped with a pulley system 52and support 53 similar to that shown in FIG. 9. In addition, anattaching fixture 54 is secured to the cable 55 and is, in turn, afiixedto the launcher pad 56. By means of a plurality of clasps 57, the anchoris connected to the launcher and is in proper position for firing. Apower source (not shown) within the vessel 45 provides igniter mechanism58 with energy to start the rocket engine. The anchor travels to thewater bed carrying the cable 55 where it embeds itself and thereby holdsfast the vessel 45. In each of the methods shown in FIGS. 7 through 10,it is to be realized that a small explosive charge is ignited within theanchor after embedding so as to extend the vanes outwardly and therebyhold the anchor in position in the water bed.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. In an anchor having forward and after portions and a longitudinalaxis, the combination of an anchor casing,

a cable secured to said casing and initially stored in a chamber in theafter portion of said casing, a time-delay fuse forming the nose of saidanchor and adapted to ignite subsequent to launching of the anchor, anexplosive charge within the casing adapted to be detonated by said fuse,a plurality of plate members abutting said charge, each of said platemembers being provided with an aperture to permit the exit of gases, aplurality of sleeve members integrally connected to said plates andlying normal to the longitudinal axis of said anchor, a vane within eachof said sleeves and adapted to be thrust laterally by the detonation ofsaid charge and thereby secure said anchor against lateral and verticalforces.

2. The anchor of claim 1 and a rocket engine secured to the afterportion of said anchor for propelling said anchor to a desired embeddedposition.

3. The anchor of claim 1 and means to retract said sleeve members andvanes to their initial position for free recovery of said anchor.

4. In an anchor adapted to be laid in the bed of a body of water, saidanchor having a forward and after portion, an anchor casing having aplurality of vanes secured thereto, said vanes being seated in aninitial position and susceptible of movement to a second position inwhich said vanes are adapted to support the anchor in a stabilizedposition in said bed, means effective to move the vanes to said secondposition, said means com prising an explosive charge, a time-delay fusepre-set to ignite subsequent to the embedding of the anchor in said bed,said charge being detonated by said fuse to create nn explosive forcesufiicient to effect movement of the vanes to said second position tohold the anchor in stable condition, and a rocket engine secured to saidafter portion of the anchor for propelling the anchor to a desiredembedded position in the bed of the body of water.

5. In an anchor adapted to be launched from a water vesselinto a bed ofa body of water, an anchor casing having a longitudinal axis and forwardand after portions, a plurality of vanes pivotally mounted on the casingand initially in flush relation with the outer surface of the casing, acable initially stored Within a chamber in the after portion of thecasing, a time-delayed fuse forming the nose of the casing and ignitablesubject to launching of the anchor, an explosive charge within thecasing and detonated by said fuse for moving said vanes to a workingposition so that the vanes are pivoted to a position normal to saidlongitudinal axis of the casing to hold the anchor securely in place inthe bed of the body of water, and a rocket engine carried by the afterportion of the anchor for propelling the anchor to a desired embeddedposition.

6. An anchor adapted to be launched into a body of water comprising acasing having a recess formed therein, a cable initially stored withinsaid recess and connected to said casing, a rocket engine secured to oneend of the References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS Mingus June 11, 1907 Black May 3, 1949 Howell Feb. 13, 1951Ewing et a1 Mar. 8, 1955 Sartain June 11, 1957

